In the manufacturing of various pieces of equipment, products and technology, it is common to have elements of items manufactured in remote or disparate locations and shipped for assembly to other locations, or as replacement parts for installation in the field. Being able to track shipped parts and authenticate the parts is paramount in a number of industries. A counterfeit and faulty part in an aircraft, for instance, may put many lives at risk. Product counterfeiters have become adept at mimicking shipping techniques and markings to avoid detection and overcome existing validation methods.